The present invention relates to bread slicers, and more particularly to countertop bread slicers including a horizontal blade assembly and a cradle for carrying individual loaves of bread upwardly through the blade assembly.
Countertop bread slicers have been developed for relatively low-volume retail applications, such as small bakeries, in-store bakeries, and delicatessens. Three such slicers are illustrated in U.S. Pat. 4,662,257 issued May 5, 1987 to Petersen et al entitled COUNTERTOP BREAD SLICER; U.S.Pat. No. 4,576,074 issued Mar. 18, 1986 to Van der Togt entitled APPARATUS FOR SLICING BREAD PRODUCTS; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,789,606 issued Apr. 23, 1957 to Solomon entitled BREAD SLICING MACHINE.
Typically, countertop slicers include a horizontal blade assembly, a cradle for carrying individual loaves upwardly through the blade assembly, and a transportation mechanism for driving the cradle. The cradle transportation mechanisms developed to date, as evidenced in the cited patents, are relatively complicated, expensive, and/or bulky. Consequently, initial construction and subsequent service can be difficult and therefore expensive. Further, the space required by these mechanisms cause the slicer to occupy more counter space than is desirable in certain installations.